This week has been fairly uneventful. I really don't have anything exciting to report. I thought I would share my photos from Painting with a Twist, but other than that, nothing exciting. We had a lot of fun at PWAT. We did have a little drama before because we got a late start getting to Shreveport, and we were late for the class so we were worried we would lose our spots, but we didn't and much fun was had. I like the location in Shreveport better because they sell beverages on site. Not just "beverages" either. The instructor was great and we all got really great paintings out of the deal.
I took some process photos, but my phone died so I couldn't get the final product until we got home.
I am going back this Sunday (by myself....eeek!) for a Vera Bradley charity painting event! I'm really excited because in addition to a fun painting class I will get at least one Very Bradley bag!!
I am down 6.4lbs total. I am losing pretty slowly, but I am keeping pretty diligent about my workouts, and my running is getting so much easier. When I started I couldn't even make it close to one lap around the rec center, but now I can do one lap when I am tired at the end of a strength training session and not feel like I am about to die. Not sure if I will be ready for a 5K in April, but maybe by this time next I can do one. Maybe I'll be able to run some of the March for babies. Now if I could be as diligent about my food choices I would be in good shape. I'm working at it...
So Noah has started lying. While bathing the boys a couple nights ago Noah grabbed his back side and said, OW!! Daddy hit me! But Josh didn't... Yesterday when we picked the boys up from school Noah told us that Aaden bit him, but the owner told us that she thinks that Noah bit himself based on the location of the bite marks. I'm not really sure where this came from, but I hope it is a very short phase. I can just imagine him going to school and telling his teachers that one of us hit him and getting CPS called on us. We do swat, but always on the diaper and more for shock factor than to cause pain. I'm sure Aaden has caused pain at some point with a hit, but I'm not sure where he picked up the tattling or lying. Has anyone else had a child do this?
I turned 31 this past Tuesday. Where has the time gone? It seems like my twenties were gone in a blink of an eye. I feel like I've wasted so much time. Not sure if you can tell, but I'm one of those people that gets depressed about their birthday. I'm not sure when that happened, but it's definitely been going on for the past two years. Anyway, I spent all day Tuesday on the verge of tears. I'm so pathetic. Josh definitely helped my mood and attitude a bit when he surprised me in Nac with the boys. I wasn't going to get to see them otherwise because I had rehearsal for University band, so it was a pretty great surprise...and I cried anyway.
Speaking of university band, I am really having a super time with the group. I am learning new music that I probably would never do with a 1C middle school and the band is responding pretty well in general. It's almost like directing middle schoolers with more mature sounds, and dirty minds...not sure if that is better or worse yet. I'm really excited to put this music together as part of my recital, and I think the group is going to sound great when it is all said and done.
I am going to a conducting workshop on March 2 in which I will conduct Blue Shades and be critiqued by Anthony Maiello. This is his bio. I'm super excited to get to work with a conductor of this caliber, and I want to be as prepared as possible, so I purchased his book, Conducting Nuances, at TMEA. I know the whole point of a workshop is to get comments for improvement, but who doesn't want to be told they are amazing, so I'm hoping for a little of both. Since I am studying Blue Shades right now, and Wind Symphony is performing it on their April concert, I also get to play with Wind Symphony (there is an AWESOME bass clarinet solo) and I will get to rehearse it with Wind Symphony any time Dr.Campo is out. Such a cool opportunity, and a great piece of rep to add to my list for post graduate school.
Aaden and Noah impress me on a daily basis. They are going through this phase where they want to do everything themselves. I love it, except that it adds half an hour to our daily routines. Noah is very persistent and does not give up very easily. It takes forever for him to ask for help and if you try to help him without him asking he hides. Aaden gives up very easily and asks for help within a couple of minutes. I think this is so opposite of their personalities. Aaden is usually the headstrong one, and Noah is usually more dependent. I guess it doesn't go for everything they do, but if you had proposed this scenario to me two weeks ago I would have predicted the opposite happening. We are getting family pictures done tomorrow. We set the time for early in the morning in hopes that the boys would be in good moods, so say a little prayer for us. We are hoping for lots of sweet smiles and creative shots.
Tonight Josh and I and two of our best friends are going out to dinner and doing a session at Painting With a Twist for my birthday celebration. I have been looking forward to this for two weeks now. It will be my third time, but the first visit for everyone else. I can't wait to see what they think and see how the paintings turn out. I am going to make sure my phone is fully charged so I can take progress pictures. This is such a fun experience, and I think everyone should do it once.
I have been at the Texas Music Educators convention since this past Wednesday. And I thought tour was bad for eating. This has been a nightmare. And to make things worse, I forgot all my tracking stuff. So I have mostly just done my best to make good choices, although a couple times temptation absolutely overcame me. I am down 4.8 lbs total in two weeks. Monday evening I will see what the damage from TMEA is.
I have read three books so far for my resolution to read 50. I read the Hunger Games Trilogy, which I was very much against reading. The first book ended up being pretty cheap on my nook so I bought it, and as much as I wanted to hate it, I ended up loving it. I flew through the first two pretty quickly, but the third was tough to get through. I found myself hating the main character, Katniss, because she was whiny and generally just dumb. But I really got attached to Peeta's character and became more interested in his fate than hers. Overall, it's a pretty good series and I would recommend it to anyone. As a matter of fact, Josh is reading it as we speak. He started last night before bed, and when I woke up this morning he was reading it again. He's not much of a fiction fan, so if he is enjoying it, it must be okay.
My running is getting easier. I was able to run .6 miles at intervals. I kinda gave up on the couch to 5k thing because it is too difficult to do on the treadmill and I am using my own method counting distance instead of time. Slowly I will take the walking out by increasing my running distance and decreasing my walking distance. I can't wait to get back to school and the rec center though where I have more control over my environment.
Next Friday Josh and I and two of our friends are going to Painting with a Twist for my birthday. I'm really excited to do something fun like this for my birthday since usually it falls in the middle of TMEA and I don't really get to do anything fun. I'll be sure to post pictures of our finished products in next weeks edition. I love this place!
I joined weight watchers Monday before last! I am trying to be very dedicated to it, but we went on wind ensemble tour just days later. While I was able to weigh in the day before we went on tour and found that I lost 3.4 lbs, I'm nearly certain my loss this week will not be even close to that (if I lose anything at all...). I tried very hard to count as much as I could, but it was very difficult when I didn't know how to find the values of things. For instance, when we went to the Ethiopian restaurant...I had no idea!! (However, the food was EXCELLENT! If you are even in Pflugerville, TX you should search for and eat at The Taste of Ethiopia. Seriously, some of the best food I have ever eaten and best tea and coffee I have ever had to drink. Also, the lady who owns the restaurant is a doll and I seriously wanted to put her in my pocket and take her home. This is their website! Check them out!!)
I have been working out pretty steadily and was able to run a full lap without stopping. While this doesn't seem like much, it is a large victory for me, because two weeks ago I could not have done it. I have also been doing some weight training and I can feel myself getting stronger. Also, my clothes are definitely feeling looser and or fitting better. I'm proud, but next week brings TMEA...a week of indulgences...I hope I make it out alive. (Well, a little lighter anyway!)
Aaden and Noah have been doing great with the potty training. They have woken up dry almost everyday for a week and used the restroom first thing in the morning. We really thought Aaden was going to outshine Noah on this one, but once Noah got the hang of it he has been great. He actually tells us when he has to go which I can't say for Aaden. They have both filled up a potty chart (Aaden two) and hopefully we will be able to try underwear soon!
School is fine. So far it is my easiest semester. I ordered my mentor ring today. I am really excited to get it!! I only wish there was a way to signify my bachelors and masters degrees on the ring. But, alas, it's a standard ring and if I want the mentor program I have to do what they want. Can't wait to get it!
Until next week!
